Aerial cableway leading to an aerostatic airborne body

ABSTRACT

The cableway consists of a captive balloon ( 1 ) carrying a gondola ( 2 ) to which two transport cables ( 3, 4 ) and a mooring cable ( 5 ) are attached. The two transport cables ( 3, 4 ) bearing a cabin ( 10, 11 ) for carrying passengers end at a ground station ( 7 ) which is rotatable on a circular rail ( 9 ) around a vertical axis ( 8 ). The transport cables ( 3, 4 ), both in the gondola ( 2 ) and in the ground station, run on and off drums. The ground station ( 7 ) can be actively tracked with reference to the site of the captive balloon ( 1 ). 
     The mooring cable ( 5 ), secured to the gondola ( 2 ), runs on a drum in the ground station ( 7 ) and is equipped with beacons ( 13 ). The captive balloon ( 1 ) can be released to any desired height, the unused length of the transport cables ( 3, 4 ) remaining on the drums in the ground station ( 7 ). 
     The cabins ( 10, 11 ) are coupled in shuttle operation or move separately driven by motors provided in the gondola ( 2 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a system for transporting passengers and goodson a cableway between the ground and an aerostatic buoyancy body.

2. History of Related Art

Similar transport channels, though only for transporting goods, areknown e.g. from SU 18 087 65 A1 and in a somewhat extended sense alsofrom SU 58 60 22. Passenger and goods cableways are also known per se.

In the case of the cableways known from the citations, the main purposeis to transport heavy goods such as tree-trunks, building material orthe like substantially horizontally in areas where no runways, railwaysor similar structures can or may be constructed. The solutions found maytherefore be adequate to solve the problems posed. In the known devicesthe aerostatic buoyancy body also serves as a support or a suspensiontower but not as a cableway station.

Cableway construction between two stationary sites for transport ofpassengers and goods is a highly-developed branch of the art. In the artof captive aerostats for monitoring space by electronic means, there areknown structures and devices for anchoring, lowering and drawing incaptive balloons of the kind in question, e.g. in the pamphlet “71 M™Aerostat” published by Messrs TCOM, L.P., Columbia, Md., USA.

However, when constructing a cableway to an aerostatic buoyancy body,problems occur which cannot be solved by transferring known solutionsfrom the sector of terrestrial cableway construction to the specialfeatures of the art of captive balloons. The term “captive balloon” hereand hereinafter will basically stand for an aerostatic buoyancy bodywhich is anchored to ground by a line and can also comprise componentsof an aerodynamic buoyancy means.

The problem in the present case is to construct a cableway between theground and a captive balloon so as to allow for the limited carryingcapacity of aerostats and for all the relevant safety aspects. Anotheraim is to transport groups of passengers quickly and provide them with asafe stopping place on a platform carried by a captive balloon.

The solution of the posed problem, as regards its main features andother advantageous features are disclosed in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in further detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic general view of a first exemplified embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a slanting top view of the ground station;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the captive balloon anchored in the groundstation;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the balloon gondola;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the gondola;

FIG. 7 is a slanting top view of the captive balloon;

FIG. 8a is a side view of a cabin, partly in section;

FIG. 8b is a plan view of a cabin;

FIG. 8c is a front view of a cabin;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cabin with extended life-savingdevices;

FIG. 10 shows a detail of the cable guidance;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of a gondola,and

FIG. 12 shows a detail of the suspension device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a very simplified view of a cableway according to theinvention in a first embodiment. A captive balloon 1 carries a gondola 2to which three cables are attached, two transport cables 3, 4 and amooring cable 5. The two transport cables 3, 4 end at a ground station 7which is rotatable around a vertical axis 8 and can rotate on a circularrail 9. Each transport cable 3, 4 bears a cabin 10, 11 for carryingpassengers. Although details are referred to in subsequent drawings, thebasic features can be explained with reference to FIG. 1. The transportcables 3, 4, both in the gondola 2 and in the ground station, run on andoff drums.

The ground station 7, which will be described in further detail withreference to FIG. 2, can be actively tracked with reference to theprevailing wind direction or the site of the captive balloon 1, with theresult that the ground station 7 is always to windward of the captiveballoon 1 and the cables 3, 4, 5 extend to leeward.

The mooring cable 5 is secured to the gondola 2 at a suitable place andruns on a drum 19 in the ground station 7. The captive balloon 1 cantherefore be released to any desired height, whereas the unused lengthof the transport cables 3, 4 remains on drums 17, 18 in the groundstation 7.

Basically, the cabins 10, 11 are coupled in shuttle operation, driven bythe traction motors provided in the gondola 2. For safety reasons,however, the coupling can be disconnected, so that the two cabins 10, 11can move downwards separately. In the ground station 7 the transportcables 3, 4 are wound up at the same speed as they are unwound in thegondola 2 and vice versa; however the motors driving the cable drums inthe ground station 7 are used only for slowing down the cables 3, 4 whenpaid out and for compensating the length of the cables when drawn in,whereas the actual traction motors are in the gondola 2 as alreadydescribed. The mooring cable 5, like the transport cables 3, 4, ispreferably made of aramid fibres or synthetic fibres of similar quality.It has an “umbilical” construction, wherein the core of the mooringcable 5 contains lines for conveying energy and for transmittinginformation between the gondola 2 and the ground station 7, surroundedby a jacket made of the said materials and receiving the tensile forces,and suitable electric earth wires.

In an advantageous embodiment the captive balloon 1 has photovoltaiccells 45, so that the plant, even at night, can be operated with neutralenergy. In addition to the individual conventional captive balloon 1shown in FIG. 1, embodiments with two or three such captive balloons areincluded in the inventive idea, or embodiments comprising differentshapes of balloon or a number of balloons. Likewise the inventionincludes buoyancy bodys with dynamic buoyancy in addition to aerostaticmembers.

The invention also includes equipping the mooring cable 5 with beacons13 which are illuminated at least at night and comprise passivereflectors or transponders for radar signals, to meet the requirementsof safety in flight and reliability of the balloon cableway.

FIG. 2 is a detailed representation of the ground station 7. A circular,single or double rail 9 is e.g. surrounded by an annular road 14 givingaccess to two waiting rooms 15, 16. The waiting rooms 15, 16 are entryand exit bays for cabins 10, 11 respectively. In the present case, cabin10 is on the ground. The drawing also shows the three cable drums 17,18, 19, one for each cable 3, 4, 5. It does not show motors,transmissions and other known equipment, for operating the cable drums17, 18, 19 or for rotting the entire ground station. The axis 8 extendsapproximately through the middle of the arrangement of the three cabledrums 17, 18, 19. A tower 20 with a device 21 for receiving the captiveballoon 1 is disposed at the windward end of the ground station 7. Thediameter of the rail 9 is about equal to the length of the captiveballoon 1, so that when moored, the balloon does not take up more spacethan the entire installation in the operating state.

The positioning of the cable drum 17, 18, 19 towards the middle of theground station 7, with each waiting room 15, 16 at the periphery, is notper se essential to the invention. Alternatively the cable drums 17, 18can be on the periphery and the two waiting rooms 15, 16 can be at thecentre or if necessary combined in a single group.

The ground station 7 also contains control rooms 22 for machinery andadministration.

The ground station is actively tracked by determining the position ofthe gondola 2 and forming the difference from the position of the groundstation 7. The position can be determined either via an inertialplatform or GPS location on the gondola 2. Data are transmitted by thedata line in the captive part 5 or by radio, and the same applies tosynchronisation of the cable speeds in the gondola 2 and the groundstation 7. These and other tasks are performed by a computer (not shown)in the control rooms 22, exchanging data with a computer (likewise notshown) in the gondola 2.

FIG. 3 shows the captive balloon 1 and gondola 2, as described in FIG.5, moored to the tower 20. As before, the vertical forces due tobuoyancy are taken by the mooring cable 15. Horizontal forces due towind are taken by the tower 20, provided the captive balloon 1 isexactly to windward. Since the position of a moored captive balloonsubstantially coincides with the position of the ground station 7, thesaid difference formation between positions is not suitable in this casefor tracking the ground station 7.

For this purpose, the following components are provided: The entireground station 7, which can rotate around the axis 8 when the cablewayis in operation, is made pivotable around an axis 25 extending throughthe tower 20. All the engineering equipment of the ground station 7,such as waiting rooms 15, 16, cable drums 17, 18, 19 and control rooms22, rotates on an additional rail 26 in the form of a circular sector.The radius of the rail depends on the weight and the centre of gravityof the ground station 7 and is approximately equal to the radius of thecircular first rail 9. FIG. 4 shows the ground plan thereof.

If the captive balloon 1 is moored and in a side wind, the entire groundstation 7, under the influence of the wind forces, preferably rotatesaround the axis 25 on the second rail 26. This motion is detected bysensors in the region of the ground station 7 and is processed by thecomputer in the control rooms 22, which actuates the motors for rotatingthe entire ground station 7 on the first rail 9 until the captiveballoon 1 is again moored in the ground station 7 in a symmetricalposition and subject to symmetrical forces. The said sensors, based onultrasound, infrared or measurement of force, are known and installationthereof is prior art. Consequently neither sensors or motors are shown.The procedure described avoids large lateral wind forces and alsoensures that the ground station 7 has to be tracked only occasionally,i.e. when the captive balloon 1 goes outside a defined limitingposition.

One embodiment (not illustrated) of the ground station 7 is in the formof a moored floating member. If the floating member is moored by a chainor rope to the bottom of the water, there will be no need for pivotingor tracking devices. The captive balloon 1 and the ground station 7 willthen swing round the point of anchorage to the bottom of the water. Ofcourse, the floating member can be a seaworthy ship and if required canbe actively guided in accordance with the direction of the prevailingwind.

No especial mention is made of the devices and precautions generallyknown in the art of cableways.

FIG. 5 shows the gondola 2. It is suspended from a continuous shaft 32via four suspension components 31 (only two of which are visible). Allthe drive devices and securing means for the captive cable 5, shown insimplified form, are contained in a casing 33, so that the tensileforces originating from the cables 3, 4, 5 can be received withouttorque by the shaft 32. The shaft, together with the casing 33, ismovable on horizontal rails 34 e.g. by hydraulic means, and accordinglya hydraulic cylinder 35 is shown. The rail 34 and the casing 33 aresupported by a frame 36 secured by ropes 37 to the captive balloon 1, asalso shown in FIG. 6. The shaft 32 can be moved so as to guide the lineof action (marked 41 in FIG. 3) of the cable forces through the centreof buoyancy of the captive balloon, so that positive or negativerestoring moments on the captive balloon can be immediately compensatedunder computer control. To this end the frame 36 is equipped with adiagrammatically indicated clinometer 38. The gondola 2, which issuspended from and swings under the frame 36, has shock-absorbers 39,which can either be passive in the form of vibration absorbers or activein the form of hydraulic cylinders. These can absorb swings of thegondola 2 or actively keep it horizontal.

In its central region the gondola 2, which is e.g. round or oval incross-section, has openings for the cables 3, 4, 5 and for the entranceand exit from the cabins 10, 11. To enable passengers to enter andleave, the opening under the cabin when retracted (cabin 10 in FIG. 3)can be closed by a foldable or insertable floor 40.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the frame 36 and gondola 2. All components inthis drawing have already been introduced and explained with referenceto FIG. 5.

In an installation according to the invention and described here, thereare risks to the safety of persons and things. The risks can beclassified as follows:

a) The captive balloon 1 loses gas.

b) The captive balloon 1 is completely torn open by external action.

c) The mooring cable 5 breaks.

d) One of the transport cables 3, 4 breaks

either over cabin 10 or 11,

or under cabin 10 or 11.

These safety risks are eliminated according to the invention by thefollowing constructions.

a) In view of the large volume of gas, of the order of 10,000 to 40,000m³, and an excess pressure in the range from 500 Pa to 1,000 Pa the lossof buoyancy per unit time, even in the case of fist-size holes, is sosmall that if a loss of gas of this kind is detected the captive ballooncan be hauled in by the normal procedure.

b) In view of the existing technology for captive balloons, a suddenloss of gas is conceivable only as a result of deliberate destructiveexternal action. Even in this case, however, methods are provided for asafe return of the gondola 2 to ground. In FIGS. 3 and 4, box-likecomponents 42 are mounted on the gondola 2. These each contain aparachute with a release device. In the assumed case of a substantialloss of buoyancy forces, as measured by a dynamometer at the suspensionpoints 43 of the frame 36, the computer on the gondola 2 will activatethe mechanisms for releasing the parachutes. Depending on the size andweight of the gondola 2, cabins 10, 11 and cables 3, 4, 5, four to eightcargo parachutes of standard diameter 100 feet (approx. 30 m) areprovided, enabling the load to descend at a maximum rate of about 7 to 8m/sec. If, in case b), one of the cabins 10, 11 is in the gondola 2, itwill remain there and glide therewith to ground on the said parachutes.Suspension, connection and release of such combined cargo parachutes isprior art and need not be further explained here. Also, in the safetysystem according to the invention, the gondola 2 suspended fromparachutes floats downwards on cables hauled in from the ground station7 and remains to leeward of the ground station, i.e. is hauled againstthe wind, which enables the hauling process to be efficientlycontrolled. This does not place any special requirements on the drivesof the cable drums 17, 18, since during normal operation the transportspeed of the cabins 10, 11 is about 10 to 15 m/sec, compared with aprovided rate of descent of the gondola 2 in an emergency of about 7-8m/sec as stated. In order to cushion the impact on the ground, thegondola 2 has a collapsible zone 44 e.g. in the form of an air bag,diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3. Honeycomb structures or pneumaticspring legs are other possible collapsible zones according to theinvention.

c) If the mooring cable 5 breaks the gondola 2 will still be anchored tothe two transport cables 3 and 4, which are dimensioned to bear theadditional stress by themselves. In this emergency, however, both theenergy and the data connection by wire or glass fibre will fail, andconsequently the following precautions must be taken:

self-sufficiency in energy, as described with reference to FIG. 7, and

a redundant data connection is provided by radio.

Since there is no pressure of time in an emergency of this kind, thehauling-in process can be interrupted when one of the cabins 10, 11enters the ground station 7. Either the cabin can be disconnected fromthe corresponding transport cable 3, 4 or the balloon-side part of thetransport cable can be hauled into the gondola 2.

d) If the balloon-side part of one of the transport cables 3, 4 breaks,this emergency will be dealt with by the means described with referenceto FIG. 8. If the break is in that part of a transport cable 3, 4 whichconnects the corresponding cabin 10, 11 to the ground station 7, thecabin 10, 11 can either be pulled into the gondola 2 or can be left onthe ground, depending on which solution is safer in view of the positionof the cabin 10, 11 in question between the ground and the captiveballoon 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the captive balloon 1 from above, withsome components which have hitherto not been described or not in detail.On the one hand the balloon carries a number of photovoltaic cells 45,which are given an area such that the energy required by the airbornepart of the installation can be covered at least during the day. If in asample calculation it is assumed that

on the one hand the cabins 10, 11 are in shuttle operation and aremechanically coupled and under the same load, so that in this case onlythe loss by friction needs to be compensated, amounting to about 10%,

if a cabin weighs 800 kg and rises vertically at 15 m/sec, a power of120 kW is necessary in order to raise a cabin (without shuttleoperation),

consequently the loss through friction is about 12 kW, and

about 10-15 kW are required for lighting, auxiliary equipment andcontrols,

a total power of about 30 kW will be appropriate. If the photovoltaiccells 45 are assumed to have an efficiency of 10% (relative to the solarconstant), about 300 m³ of solar cells 45 will be necessary. Comparedwith the approximately 3,500 m² surface area of a captive balloon 1,this is only a small part of the total surface, and can also beincreased without difficulty to obtain a more reliable supply. Thecaptive balloon 1 can also carry a helicopter landing platform 46, e.g.on a pneumatic pad 47, closed by a hatch 48. If the captive balloon 1 isat an excess pressure of e.g. about 750 Pa, it will withstand a load of750 N/m³ without buckling, so that a landing platform measuring about150 m² will have a gross carrying power of about 112 kN. Of course, thelanding weight of a helicopter is limited not only by the aerostaticload-bearing power of the balloon shell, but also and at least equallyby the net buoyancy of the captive balloon 1. Furthermore when ahelicopter lands the relative position of the centre of gravity and thecentre of buoyancy are altered, and consequently the restoring moment ofthe captive balloon 1 and the gondola 2 is affected. This also limitsthe maximum weight of a helicopter.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the cabin 10; FIG. 8a is a side view,partly in section, FIG. 8b is a plan view, partly in section, and FIG.8c is a front view.

The cabin 10 has an aerodynamic profile, both to reduce the windresistance and always to keep the cabin 10 to windward. The prevailingwind also includes the relative wind. The wind vector therefore alwayshas an appreciable vertical component. For improved stabilisationagainst the total wind, the cabin 10 carries a stabilising fin 65 whichcan be swung around an approximately horizontal axis 66. The fin 65 isbent downwards when the cabin 10 rises and upwards when the cabindescends, as shown in FIG. 8a.

In the interior the cabin 10 has a conical shaft 59, the opening angleof which includes all inclinations of the transport cable 3 which occurin practice. The wall 57 of the shaft 59 is e.g. the load-bearingconstruction for the cabin 10, to which all other components aredirectly or indirectly fastened. The transport cable runs through theshaft 59 and is tightly clamped in a sleeve 54 The sleeve, e.g. at itstop end, is connected by a universal suspension 55, supported by a shaft60. The universal suspension 55 enables the cabin 10 to swing in anyvertical plane.

Such swinging motion is absorbed by a diagrammatically-indicatedshock-absorber 49. A second shock-absorber at right angles to theshock-absorber 49 and to the plane of the drawing, is also provided butis omitted for clarity in the drawings.

The axis 60 is in the vertical line of action of the centre of gravity Sof the cabin 10. The cabin 10 has external windows 52. Over the glazedpart, the cabin 10 has a hood 50 which extends over the shaft 59 and hasan opening 62 for the transport cable 3. The hood 50 also covers anumber (three in the present case) of containers 53 holding parachutes,on which the cabin 10 can float downwards if the transport cable 3breaks above the cabin 10. A cable break of this kind will be detectede.g. by a dynamometer along the axis 60. Alternatively the containers 53can be disposed underneath the passenger space.

Underneath the glazed part 52, the cabin has a floor cap 51 in which acollapsible zone 58, e.g. in the form of an air bag, is fastened. Inaddition, four legs 67 for example can be swung out after beingsimultaneously triggered, like the parachutes in the containers 53. Eachleg can have an air bag-like pneumatic shock-absorption member 68 andcan be connected to the other legs e.g. by a cable 69, as shown in FIG.9. Also, safety can be increased and weight can be saved by providingseating facilities, which additionally absorb the shock of an emergencydescent on parachutes.

The drawings omit obvious features such as telecommunication equipment,computers, emergency aid equipment, energy accumulators and the like.

The cabin can be shaped to ensure that even in a complete calm, thecabin 10 is to windward and does not begin to rotate around thetransport cable. Of course any twisting of the transport cables 3, 4 iscarefully eliminated before starting.

Any slope of the cabin 10 through an asymmetrical distribution of weightcan be counteracted, at least in the sagittal plane, if either the axis60 of the universal suspension 55 is movable or if an electric energyaccumulator, which is provided in any case for operating the on-boardand the safety equipment, can be moved in the sagittal plane. Of coursethe two precautions can be combined to obtain an optimum trimmingdevice.

In another embodiment of the invention, which is only partly illustratedby drawings since the main features of the invention have already beendescribed, the transport cables 3, 4 in the gondola 2 each run round apulley 70, 71 as shown in FIG. 10. The two pulleys 70, 71 are coupledand usually run in opposite directions; the coupling can be e.g.mechanical, hydraulic or electric. The coupling means arediagrammatically shown as a box 72 in FIG. 10 and are known per se. Inthis embodiment each transport cable 3, 4 extends from the groundstation 7 to the corresponding pulley 70, 71 and back to the groundstation 7 and is driven by a traction motor in the ground station 7. Thetwo traction motors can also be coupled. The means for coupling thecable motion, both in the gondola 2 and in the ground station 7, canalso be used to break the coupling, so that the two cabins 10, 11 candescend separately.

The invention also includes a third embodiment, using a number of cabins80 instead of two single cabins 10, 11. The number is restricted by thecarrying power of a single endless rotating transport cable 81 and bythe buoyancy of the captive balloon 1. The transport cable 81 istherefore technically equivalent to the combined transport cables 3, 4,though this does not exhaust the process of manufacturing the transportcable 81. FIG. 11 shows one of the cabins 80 and FIG. 12 shows a detailof the means fastening the cabin 80 to the transport cable 81.

The cabin 80 in FIG. 11 has a substantially horseshoe-shapedcross-section, aerodynamically modified. The transport cable 81 runsbetween the two parts of the cabin 80 and also completely outside it.Modifications are also made to the sleeve 54 and the universalsuspension 55, as shown in FIG. 12. The universal suspension 55 supportsthe cabin 80 on a holder 82. A plate 83 fastened to the sleeve 54 hasregular-spaced perforations 84 which are adapted to receive hooks whichcan take the weight of the cabin 80 in the gondola 2.

The modified suspension of the cabin 80 comprises the sleeve 54, whichhere is longitudinally divided and provided with a locking means 86. Onthe side remote from the observer, the sleeve 54 has e.g. hinge joints,so that after the lock 86 has been opened the upper part of the sleeve54 can be swung open.

The sleeve 54 is mounted on a supporting construction 87 which carriesthe plate 83 underneath so that in the front, in the direction of thecable, it carries the universal suspension 55 to which the cabin 80 onthe holder 82 is fastened.

If the cabin 80 on the cable 81 moves upwards and reaches the gondola 2,a chain equipped with the said hooks engage in the perforations 84 inthe plate 83. Initially the chain moves at the same speed as thetransport cable 81. As soon as the hook engages, the lock 86 is releasedexternally and the sleeve 54 is opened, thus freeing the cabin 80 fromthe transport cable 81.

The chain is then slowed down, as known in cableway technology, and thecabin 80 is transferred to a second cable, rotating slowly andhorizontally in the gondola 2. The second chain slowly conveys thegondola 80 to the suitably-equipped transfer station on the transportcable 81, which is moving faster. An exit for passengers can likewise beprovided in this embodiment. A number of cabins 80 can simultaneously bepresent in the gondola 2.

The transfer of cabin 80 from the transport cable 81 to the plate 83,which is in the gondola, on a transport system based on a chain or abelt, and is provided with a hook and perforations 84, is not in itselfessential to the invention. Other solutions will be available to thecableway engineer. According to the invention, the sleeves 54 can beopened around the transport cable 81.

At the ground station 7, the cabins 80 are transferred to a stationarytransport system completely similar to that in the gondola 2. The unusedlength of the transport cable 81 in the ground station runs into a cablestorage means, so that the height of ascent is technically limited onlyupwards by the length of the transport cable, as is the case in allother embodiments described.

The transport cable 81, like the transport cables 3, 4 in FIG. 10, runsround a guide pulley in the gondola 2. The drive of the transport cable81 can be either in the gondola 2 or in the ground station 7.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for transport of passengers and goods,said system comprising: a ground station (7); a gondola (2); at leastone aerostatic buoyancy body (1); said at least one aerostatic buoyancybody (1) supporting said gondola (2); a cableway extending between saidground station (7) and said gondola (2); and wherein the at least oneaerostatic buoyancy body (1) is secured to the ground station (7) by amooring cable (5) and the mooring cable in the ground station can bewound on and off a drum (19) and has a core which contains lines forconveying energy and exchanging information between the ground station(7) and the gondola (2) and is surrounded by a jacket of high-strengthplastics material fibres and earth wires, at least two additionaltransport cables (3, 4) usually movable in opposite directions extendbetween the base station (7) and the gondola (2) and at least one cabin(10, 11, 80) is fastened to each cable, a substantially horizontal frame(36) is suspended on ropes (37) from the at least one aerostaticbuoyancy body (1) and bears a shaft (32) which is disposed so as to bemovable at right angles to the direction in which it extends and in turnsupports the gondola (2) on suspension components (31), the at least twotransport cables (3, 4) in the gondola (2) are received by a drivedevice which, together with the means fastening the mooring cable (5)are so fastened to the shaft (32) that the tensile forces exerted bythem can be received without torque by the shaft (32), components (35)are provided for moving the shaft (32) parallel to its original positionso that the line of action (41) of the tensile forces exerted by the atleast three said cables (3, 4, 5) always extends through the centre ofbuoyancy of the at least one aerostatic buoyancy body (1), the gondola(2) comprises a computer for monitoring and controlling all mechanicalprocesses, the ground station (7) is rotatable around a first verticalaxis (8) relative to the environment, comprises mechanical means forwinding on and winding off from cable drums, for rotating the groundstation (7) in the direction in which the at least one aerostaticbuoyancy body (1) is situated relative to the ground station (7), i.e.basically in the leeward direction, and also comprises a computer formonitoring and controlling all mechanical processes and connected fordata transfer purposes to the computer in the gondola (2), and theground station (7) also comprises means for anchoring an aerostaticbuoyancy body (1) and means for continually rotating the anchoredaerostatic buoyancy body (1) to windward, and both the gondola (2) andthe cabins (10, 11, 80) comprise life-saving means which, in the eventof a loss of buoyancy by the at least one aerostatic buoyancy body (1)and a breakage of at least one of the cables (3, 4, 5) ensure a safereturn to the ground.
 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein a singleaerostatic buoyancy body is provided.
 3. A system according to claim 1,wherein a respective transport cable (3, 4) is provided and fastened toa respective cabin (10 or 11), the two cabins (10, 11) usually move upand down in shuttle operation, each transport cable in the groundstation(7) can be wound onto or off a respective cable drum (17, 18),each transport cable (3, 4) in the gondola (2) is wound on to or off aseparate cable drum, and the cable drums are coupled by suitable meansso that the rising transport cable (3 or 4) has the same speed as thedescending transport cable (4 or 3), the transport cables (3, 4) aredriven by traction motors in the gondola (2), the cable drums (17, 18)in the ground station (7) also have drive motors but these are only forcomputer-controlled compensation of the lengths of the transport cables,the cable speeds both in the gondola (2) and in the ground station (7)are monitored and measured by suitable means.
 4. A system according toclaim 3, wherein the ground station (7) is mounted on a substantiallycircular platform which rotates on a circular rail (9) and is supportedalong the first vertical axis (8), the station comprises another cabledrum (19) for the mooring cable (5), equipped with a drive motor forreleasing the at least one aerostatic buoyancy body (1) and drawing itin against the net buoyancy forces, waiting rooms (15, 16) for departingand arriving passengers and control rooms (22) for the computer systemfor controls and drives and the engineering staff, the base stationcarries a tower (20) so disposed that it is substantially to windward ofthe base station (7), whereas all cables (3, 4, 5) extend to leeward,and the tower (20) bears a device (21) for receiving the nose of the atleast one aerostatic buoyancy body (1), and on the circular platform theground station bears an additional rail (26) in the form of a circularsector, the centre of rotation of the additional rail having anadditional vertical axis (25) which extends through the tower (20), themechanical equipment of the ground station (7), such as cable drums (17,18, 19), waiting and control rooms (14, 15, 22) being disposed on theadditional rail (26) so as to be pivotable around the additional axis(26), so that the at least one aerostatic buoyancy body (1) anchored tothe receiving device (21) on the tower (20) and at least to the mooringcable (5), together with the pivotable parts of the ground station(7),can be swung away from any side winds.
 5. A system according toclaim 4, wherein sensors are disposed in the neighborhood of thecircular-sector additional rail (26) and measure the extent to which thepivotable parts of the ground station (7) have swung out and communicatethe result to the computer, and the computer actuates motors whichrotate the first ground station (7) on the first rail (9) around thefirst axis (8) sufficiently for the aerostatic buoyancy body (1) and thepivotable parts of the base station (7) to be again to windward.
 6. Asystem according to claim 4, wherein each transport cable (3, 4) is witha respective cabin (10 or 11), in the ground station (7) there are twocable drums (17, 18) for each transport cable (3, 4), and both ends ofeach transport cable (3, 4) in the ground station (7) can be wound on toor unwound from a cable drum (17, 18) and extend around a respectivepulley (70, 71) in the gondola (2), and the two pulleys in the gondolaare coupled by suitable means so that the two cabins (10, 11) move inopposite directions at the same speed.
 7. A system according to claim 6,wherein the traction motors for the transport cables (3, 4) are providedin the gondola (2) and the drive motors for the respective two cabledrums (17, 18) in the base station (7) only control the speeds of thetransport cables (3, 4) at the correct value when incoming and outgoing.8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the traction motors for thetransport cables (3, 4) are in the ground station (7) and coincide withthe drive motors for the respective two cable drums (17, 18).
 9. Asystem according to claim 8, wherein the cabins (10, 11) internallycomprise a downwardly widening funnel-shaped shaft (59) having a wall(57) which extends through the entire height of the cabins (10, 11) andits opening angle is determined by the inclination of the cables when inclosed-loop operation, the cabins are supported by a universalsuspension (55) which in turn is secured to a sleeve (54) which can beclamped to the transport cable (3 or 4), and the universal suspension(55) is disposed at the top end of the shaft (59) and the transportcable (3, 4) extends through the shaft (59), the possible endlesspendulum movement of the cabins is damped by at least one shock-absorber(49), and the at least one shock-absorber (49) acts between the sleeve(54) and the wall (57) of the shaft (59), and the cabins are covered atthe top b a hood (50) and at the bottom by a floor cap (51).
 10. Asystem according to claim 6, wherein the cabins (80) have an aerodynamicshape with an approximately horseshoe-shaped ground plan which dividesthe windward end of the cabins (50) into two portions, the cabincomprises a holder (82) which holds the cabin (80) and is in turn heldby a universal suspension (55) which is secured to a sleeve (54) whichcan be clamped to the endless cable (81), and the sleeve (54) can beopened both in the ground station (7) and in the gondola (2) in order torelease the cable (81), the universal suspension (55) is disposed on theholder (82) and the cable (81) extends between the two portions of thecabin (80), the means for separating the cabins (80) from the cable (81)and reconnecting them thereto comprise the sleeve (54) which islongitudinally divided, openable by folding and when in the closed statecan be secured by a locking means (86), the possible pendulum motion ofthe cabins is damped by at least one shock-absorber (49) and the atleast one shock-absorber (49) operates between the sleeve (54) and thesupporting ports of the cabin (80), and the cabin is covered at the topby a hood (50) and at the bottom by a floor cap (51).
 11. A systemaccording to claim 10, wherein the pointed ends, facing away from thewind, of the aerodynamically shaped cabins (10, 11, 80) have a verticalstabilising fin (65) which is pivotable around a substantiallyhorizontal axis (66) so that the fin (65) swings downward when risingand upward when descending, thus allowing for the combined wind vectormade up of the horizontal wind and the relative wind.
 12. A systemaccording to claim 6, wherein the gondola (2) comprises a clinometer(38) which measures the horizontal position of the gondola (2), theextent of deviation there from if applicable, and transmits the resultsto the computer, and hydraulic cylinders (39) are provided and operatebetween the frame (36) and the gondola (2) and can position the gondola(2) horizontally under computer control.
 13. A system according to claim4, wherein the transport cables (3, 4) are combined to form a singlerotating endless cable (81) which runs in the gondola (2) on a guidepulley, is guided over the two cable drums (17, 18) for drive purposesin the ground station (7), and any unused lengths of the endless cable(81) made up of the transport cables (3, 4) runs through a cable storagedevice, and the endless cable (81) bears more than two cabins (80). 14.A system according to claim 13, wherein the cabins (80) on the endlesscable (81) comprise means for separating them from the couple (81) bothin the gondola (2) and in the ground station (7) and for subsequentlyreconnecting them to the cable (81).
 15. A system according to claim 13,wherein the traction motors for the endless rotating cable (81) made upof the transport cables (3, 4) are provided in the gondola (2), and thedrive motors for the two respective cable drums (17, 18) in the groundstation (7) only set the speeds of the transport cables (3, 4) at thecorrect incoming and outgoing value.
 16. A system according to claim 13,wherein the traction motors for the endless rotating cable (81) made upof the transport cables (3, 4) are provided in the ground station andcoincide with the drive motors for the two respective cable drums (17,18).
 17. A system according to claim 13, wherein the cabins (10, 11, 80)comprise containers (53) which contain parachutes and associated releasedevices, dynamometers are provided in the suspension device and releasethe parachutes in the event of a substantial power loss, and the cabins(10, 11, 80) carry shock-absorbing components which are covered by thefloor cap (51) and additionally absorb the impact of the cabins (10, 11,80) against the ground when descending under the parachutes.
 18. Asystem according to claim 3, wherein the round station (7) is disposedon a floating member, floats in water and is anchored by a rope to thebottom of the water, it comprises and additional drum (19) for themooring cable (5), equipped with a drive motor for releasing theaerostatic buoyancy body (1) or drawing it in against the net buoyancyforces, it comprises waiting rooms (14, 15) for departing and arrivingpassengers and control rooms (22) for the computer system for controlsand drives and the engineering staff, it supports a tower (2) sodisposed as to be substantially to windward of the ground station (7)whereas all cables (3, 4, 5) are to leeward, and the tower (20) bears adevice (21) for receiving the nose of the aerostatic buoyancy body (1).19. A system according to claim 1, further comprising at least oneaerostatic buoyancy body (1) having photovoltaic cells mounted thereon.20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the area of the photovoltaiccells is made sufficient for the gondola (2) and all electric loads tobe self-sufficient in energy at least by day.
 21. A system according toclaim 1, wherein the at least one aerostatic buoyancy body (1) bears ahelicopter landing platform (46).
 22. A system according to claim 1,wherein the gondola (2) carries a number of container-like components(42) containing parachutes and associated release devices, at least onedynamometer is provided on the horizontal shaft (32) on which thegondola (2) is suspended and communicates its measurements to thecomputer in the gondola, in the event of substantial power loss the atleast one dynamometer, for the benefit of the computer, interprets thisfact as a sudden and substantial loss of buoyancy and thereupon releasesthe parachutes, and the gondola (2) carries shock-absorbing elementsunder its floor so as additionally to absorb the impact of the gondola(2) on the ground when descending under the parachutes.
 23. A systemaccording to claim 22, wherein the shock-absorbing components aredevices similar to airbags.
 24. A system according to claim 23, whereinthe shock-absorbing components additionally comprise pneumaticshock-absorbing members (68) secured to the ends of foldable legs (67)which are connected by a cable (67).
 25. A system according to claim 22,wherein the shock-absorbing elements comprise honeycomb structures. 26.A system according to claim 1, wherein the mooring cable (5) bears anumber of beacons (13) which are illuminated at least at night andequipped with radar transponders.